Rail-joint.



` G. II.l BARBOUR.' .RAIL JOINT'.- APPLIUATIGN rILIsn MAR. 27, 190s.

940,777.1; Patented N0v.23,19o9.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR v WITNESSES GQ H. BARBOUR.'

` RAIL JOINT. APPLICATION I 'ILED MAR. 27, 1909.

Batentea'Nov-23, 1909.

NNN llillm Iv N y N ,mw i

WITNESSES sTATEs PATENT oFFioE.

GEORGE H. BARBOUR, F PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

To 4all whom it concern:

Beit known that I, GEORV n H. BARBOUR,

of Pittsburg, inthe county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful'lmprovement inRail-Joints, of which the followin is afull, clear, and exact description, re `erence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of` this specicatiom'fin `which -Flgure 1 -is a longitudinal side elevation showing my improved splice bar applied for" use to the ends of adjoinlng rails of a railwayA track Fig. 2 is an end elevation, showing the rail 1n cross-section and showing my improved splice bar with the flanges located vbeneath the base of the rail in-position just prior to belng'fdrawn into en agement withl the bottom surface of the rai bases; Fig. 3- is an end elevation showin the splice bars in cross-section, with the downwardly and inwardly extending flan es vdrawnV tightly into engagement withv t e bottom surface of the rail bases in accordance with my invention; Fig. 4 is a; sectional end elevation showin@V my lmproved splice bar applied for use to the rails of a railway track, and provided with means for insulating the rails from each other andfrom the splice. bars; Fig. 5 is a similai-Lview showing a modification in the insulating means; Fig. 6 is a similar View showing another modification'in the insulatin means.

My inventionV relates'to the type of'rail joint in ,which the splice barsare provided with depending flanges extending below the` bottom surface of the rail bases.

The object of my invention is to provide a splice bar of improved construction and having novel means -for strengthening the rails at the joint andfor reventing buckling or bending at the joint y the passage of cars thereover. f

splice Another obect of my invention is to provide improved means for insulating the rails from the splice bars, and from each other.

In the drawings, 2y repesents the rails of -alrailway track, having the splice Abars 3' secured Ito the posite ends of adjoining rails b means o the boltsll. The top surface o the iange and the under` surface of the head portions of the' rail arefengaged by eorrespondingl inclined surfaces on vthe ars 3', t ese surfaces being connected by' avertical web portion. in the usual man- RAIL-JOINT.

specification of Letters Patent. Patented N ov'. 23, 1909. Application filed March 27, 1909. Serial No. 486,258.. i

I ner. The lower edge of the web of the splice bar 3 is provided with a downwardly and inwardly extending flange 5, and this flange is provided'iwith oppositelyv extending marginal rib portions 6 and 7 The splice bars 3 on opposite sides of the rail are symmetrical, the ribs 6 bein in'proximity when the splice bars are assem led in place in forming Athe rail joint.` The lower and widest 'marginal rib 7 is provided with bolt holes through which the bolts 8 extend, these bolts.

being employed to draw the ribs 7 together and force the marginal ribs 6 upwardly into close contact with the bottom surfaces of the bases of the rails 2, fromthe position 'shown lin Fig. 2 into that shown in Fig. 3.

As shown in the drawings, the bolts extend outwardly beyond the flange 5 of the splice bar, and a sleeve or thimble 9 is placed-oaths bolts between one rib 7 and the nut l() for thelfree play of the wrench by which the bolts Sare tightened in place, in drawing the v ribs 7 and 6 into their adjusted position.

As shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the rails are`insulated from the splice bars. InFig. 4 a thimble 1lv of insulating material 1s .placed in the bolt holes in the rails, and a strip of insulating material 12 is interposed between the engaging surfaces of the rail and the splice bars, the lower ends 13 of the insulating material being lbent over and e11- g'ag'ing with the upwardly projecting' ribs 6* on themarginal edgesof the flanges 5 of the splice bar. j In the modification show\n in Fig.l 5, a thimble 11 of insulating material is provided, which is flanged upwardly so as to be securely held in lacein the .bolt holes in the rails. Strips o insulating material 12'L are provided between the engaging faces of the underside of the head of the rails 2, and

the upper faces of the splice bar 3.' Sepa-v rate. strips of insulating materials 12 are provided to insulate the top face of the base of the rail 2 -from the splice bars 3, and a strip of insulating material l2d is laced between the upwardly rojecting ribs 69 on the flange of the spllce bars and the under surface of the base of the rail 2.

In the modication shown in Fig. 6, the splice bars 3 and securing bolts 4 are msulated from the rails in the same manneras is shown in Fi 4. The insulating materialdoes not exten ldownwardly under thev base of tlrieiliail,v but a separate strip of insulating material 12dis providedto insulate the upwardly projecting ribs 6a4 from the base of the rail in a simllar manner to that shown in Fig. 5.

The advantagesof my invention will be apparent `to those skilled in the art. -By means of the depending mar 'nal ribs on the Vdownwardly and inward y extending lflanges 5, I am enabled to bring the top or upper Aribs int-o close Contact with the bases o rthe rails. This is of particular value' with the new standard types of rails'in whichthe weight has been largely increased without a Vcorresponding increase in t-he depth or in the width of the rail flange. This construction which cuts down the space between the head and flange ofthe railin which the frail joints are secured tends to :lessen the strength of the splice bars of extypes. The lmeans provided for insulating the portions from each other are `easily and cheaply made, and can be quickly applied for use. -By the use of the insulatin rais are insulated from the splice bars .and fromeach other, while the upwardly projecting ribs on the depending iianges of the splice bars are adjustably held in contact with the under face of the rail bases so as to stiften and strengthen the joint between changes may be made within therails.

Modifications in theiconstruction and arrangement of theparts can be made without departing from my invention. The

splice bar is simple and is easily manufae.

tured in the rolling mill.

While the ianges 5 and marginal ribs 6` and 7 are shown extendingfor a portion of the length of the splice bar, obviously the flange or ribs or both may extend' the entire length of thebar :when desired.

Instead of the upwardly extending rib on the depending Hange, the top surface of the flange itself may be brought into engagement with'the base of the rail and other the edges and outer, bottom surfaces. of thev rail bases and having an vupward bearing` member engaging with the .rail bases at an intermediate 'point' in the width. thereof. the

adjacent edges ofthe "opposing members bee neath the railbLSeSfheing out of. contact with each otherand clamping means extending transversely beyond the end of the splice bar for forcing said bearing members material as shown in the drawings the the fscope of upwardly against the rail bases; substantially as described.

2. In a rail joint, splicel bars for the rails having depending'flanges extending downwardly, inwardly and then upwardly and downwardly below the bases of the rails, and means for securing the upwardly projecting members in en agement with the rail bases, the downwardly extending members being out of engagement with each other; substantially as described. 3. A splice bar for rails, having a depending flange extending downwardly and inwardly below the bases of the rails and having oppositely extending marginal ribsfon said flan eand means coperating with the bottom r1b` to hold the opposite rib in engagement with the bottom surface ofthe rail bases; substantially as described.

4. A rail joint, having a splice bar with a downwardly and inwardly projecting Hangs, Y

said iiange having opposit y projecting rib portions on the edges thereof and means en' gaging with one of said ribs for drawing its oppositeirib into engagement with the bottom surface of the bases of the rails;

substantially as described.

5. A rail joint comprising s lice bars havving downwardly and inwar ly extending ange ortions, o positely. projecting marginal ribs on the eiid of said flange portions, and means on the lower end of said rib portions adapted to bring the opposing rib portions into engagement with the bottom surface of the rail bases; I substantially as described.

6. A rail joint havin a splice bar with a downwardly and inwardly projecting iiange,V said iange having oppositely projecting rib portions on the edges thereof and means engaging with one of said ribportions for drawing-its opposite rib portion into engagement with the bottomsurface of the bases of the rails, said flange terminating-short ofthe length ofthe splice bar; substantially as described.

7. A rail joint com rising coactin splice bars having downwar ly and inward y vprojecting Hange portions, said flange portions having Ioppositely projecting marginal"l rib portions one of .said ribs on each spliceI bar being adapted to engage with the under surface of the base of the'rails and bolts seated in openings in the opposing rib por# tions arranged to draw and mamtainfjthe ribs in `engagementwith the rail bases, substantially as described.

8. An insulated rail joint," comprising splice bars having depending flange portions extending downwardly and inwardly below the rail bases, horizontal rib portions on vsaid ianges adapted to engage with and.

support said rail bases, means arranged to bring the upper rib portions vinto enga ement with said rail bases, and means or insulating the railsffroxn said s licebars splice barshaving de ending flange portions di inwardly and thenA l and sup orting rib portionsf; su stanti'ally asdescribed.

9. A rail joint havin splice bars with downwardly and inwardy pro'ecting flange portions,said l'lange. portionsy laving o postely rojecting rlby portions on the ges thereo insulatlngfmeans between the rails and contacting surfaces of the s lice bars, and means engaging with one o said ribs for drawing its opposite rib into engagement with the bottom surface of the insulatlondorv the bases of the rails; substantially as described. f

-10. Aninsulated rail joint comprising extendingdownwar upwardly ana ao'wnwardly vthe, rail bases sald flanges being arrang'eto vengage with and support the railbaseaat al1-intermediate point the width thereof, meansfor insulating the rails from 'said splice bara and supporting flanges and .means for securflange members being out of en agement with each other; substantially as escribed.-

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto aetv my hand.

Y Witnesses:

i* WM. J. SAUNnnus,v

'J.C.B1'mr..v

GEORGE H. BARBR. 

